Hugo de Pree

Educated at Eton College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich,^[1] de Pree was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 25 July 1890.^[2][3] He was promoted to lieutenant on 25 July 1893, and served on the North West Frontier of India in 1897. Promotion to captain followed on 3 February 1900,^[4] when he was divisional adjutant at Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich.^[5] After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in South Africa, he volunteered for service with the Imperial Yeomanry. He served originally with the 17th Battalion, but was on 3 May 1902 appointed second-in-command of the 7th Battalion, with the temporary rank of major.^[6] He relinquished his appointment with the Imperial Yeomanry on 5 September 1902,^[7] and returned to the Royal Horse Artillery^[8] to be stationed at Secunderabad.^[9]

De Pree later served in the First World War, being made a General Staff Officer (Grade 1) in January 1915.^[2][10]

He was appointed Commander of the 13th Indian Infantry Brigade in 1920, General Officer Commanding 55th (West Lancashire) Division in April 1925, in succession to Major General Sir Cecil Nicholson,^[11] and commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1926,^[12] before retiring in 1931.^[2]

He lived at Beckley in East Sussex where there is a memorial to de Pree at All Saints' Church.^[13]

Pree married firstly Diones Thornhill;^[13] they had three sons and one daughter. He later married Mary Fisher.^[13]